*Audiobook 2022 Challenge : "The Atlas of Love" by Laurie Frankel: I originally found this book at a Dollar Store in Utah and was PLEASANTLY surprised by how much I enjoyed the story. I wasn't sure I'd be able to include it in the audiobook challenge, but was pleasantly proven wrong and found it for purchase on Amazon. I felt like I had a happy reunion with a group of characters who captured my attention while listening as much as when I read it. The story line is centered around 3 women who decide they are going to raise the baby birthed by one of them. The communal parenting goes well and this little boy Atlas is the lucky winner of being loved by 3 mother figures. It is raw and real mixed with very sweet moments that I just love. This book is definitely worth your time and a solid PG/maybe PG13 for adult themes and the realities of unexpected pregnancy.
From the Heart of Crow Country by Joseph Medicine Crow: I'm working on learning about the Native American tribes around me here in Montana and right now I'm studying the Crow people. This was such a wonderful collection of stories and gave me great insight on their culture and people.
The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton: Next I needed some sassy hilarious regent mystery and this gem did not disappoint. What happens when a bunch of female pirates decide to solve a murder? Chaos, but with class....obviously. This was a light read and I enjoyed it very much. Rated PG/PG 13 for some mild gore because people get murdered.
Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown: I rarely read or listen to more than one non-fiction book per month, but Brene Brown's latest book came up on my Libby queue much earlier than expected so I snatched it up while on a trip for work. She gives definitions of emotions and how they play in to our every day world. This is a book I may have to buy because it was one that could be underlined and studied over and over. Brene Brown is genius like that. I highly recommend this book if you're trying to work through challenging times and struggling to process because you can't label the emotions and how they're connected to events.
The Yellow Bird Sings by Jennifer Rosner: This was a VERY heavy WWII Jewish refugee story. A Jewish mother and daughter hide out in a family's barn for almost 2 years until the daughter can be smuggled to safety in a convent. The story is gripping and very sad. It also includes accounts of sex for survival (aka rape) which was very hard for me to listen to. The daughter is a musical prodigy and she creates a song in a story in her head about the yellow bird that sings and this is how she survives the torture of being in hiding. The themes in this book are difficult to fathom, but they really happened to many people in Europe. This book is Rated R for violence, sexual assault and heavy themes due to the Holocaust and Nazis.
Beautiful World, Where are You by Sally Rooney: I found out about this book on TikTok and the synopsis sounded intriguing so I went for it. It turned out to be a weird montage of storylines with intertwining singles that ended up in rompy sex often. I felt like every time I started it up again I'd listen for 5 minutes and they were at it again. It felt way too Harlequin and I kept hoping there was a point to it all but it was mostly "life is hard, have lots of sex and move on." While that may be the reality for some people, I like a little more plot in my books so I didn't enjoy it at all. Rated R for all the sex and very little substantive plot.
A Memory of Violets by Hazel Gaynor: I absolutely LOVED this book and read it in a couple days while I was on my Q2 recharge vacay from work. Hazel Gaynor is an incredible author and I've yet to read a book of hers that I didn't like. This story is centered around the flower girls of London and a family who makes it their mission to bring the women off the streets and give them safety, shelter and the skills to have another trade that doesn't involve dangerous conditions on the street. It was so well-written and reminded me of "My Fair Lady." Hazey Gaynor always does copious amounts of research for her books and you can tell by the details shared throughout the book. Rated PG13 for some difficult themes related to poverty.
The Woman at the Light by Joanna Brady: I was on a roll after finishing Hazel Gaynor and jumped head first into this book and finished it within a couple days. This is a FASCINATING historical fiction about a lighthouse keeper and her family on a secluded island of the Florida Keys in the late 19th century. This book was spellbinding and I couldn't stop reading it. There is a big curveball in this one related to race that I'm not going to give away and it gave me a lot to think about. It was great writing and each of the characters were well developed. This was another historical fiction piece that was thoroughly researched and it showed in the story line. Definitely PG13 for the adult themes.
So, there you go, book friends! I hope you can make time to read and get lost in between the pages of your favorite book!
Until next time, my lovelies!
-R
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